Fortunately, the bite was not from a poisonous snake. From that day on, I began to notice Caleb everywhere, watching him quietly and learning just how exceptional he was. We gradually became friends and with every interaction, the seeds of my secret love for him began to take root in my heart.
By the time we reached our junior year of college, my life took a devastating turn. My mother fell gravely ill and passed away, leaving me utterly lost and broken.
That period of my life was shrouded in darkness and I wandered through it in a daze. Only Caleb, the one friend who truly saw through my façade, stood by my side during that time. He cared for me, helped me through those bleak days and became the light that guided me out of the abyss.
In my senior year, I could no longer hide how I felt, so I confessed my love to him. To my amazement, Caleb returned my feelings and from that moment on, we were together as a couple. He never knew, though, how much I had been panicking inside. I had no ex-boyfriends and no past love to compare to. He was my first love, my only love.
Now, as I sat in the car, staring at his back as he drove, those memories came flooding back, shaking me to my core.
Just as the car started moving, there was a sudden jolt, followed by a harsh brake. The force of it threw me forward and my forehead hit the back of the front seat with a sharp pain. Before I could even raise my head to see what had caused the stop, I saw Caleb already out of the car, rushing toward something.
I followed him out and my eyes landed on Scarlett, who was crouching on the ground. Caleb was beside her, shouting, "Scarlett, why didn't you stay in the ward? Why did you run out here? Are you trying to throw your life away?"
Perhaps, even he did not realize it, but there was no trace of anger in his tone.His voice was soft, full of concern.
"Caleb, the bracelet you gave me... it fell off. It was the first gift you ever gave me and I've always kept it safe. I must have lost it during the car accident. I need to find it... I can't lose it."
Scarlett raised her head, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. Her voice sounded weak and pitiful.
"It's just a bracelet, Scarlett. If it's gone, then let it be. Just leave it," Caleb replied, helping her up with gentle hands.